La Carreta - Framingham Update ??

[pondrat]

Anyone hear what's up with the opening of this much praised Mexican chain from New Hampshire ? It's been about a year since remodeling started and the opening was announced.

Lots of pent up energy around here for really good Mexican.

[spack]

La Carreta is open in Framingham! They posted on Facebook. I can't wait to try it. I just hope it was worth the wait.

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La Carreta
35 Manchester Rd, Derry, NH 03053

[pondrat]

Had lunch there yesterday. Nice variety on the menu. I had a Mexican sandwich with chorizo queso and chicken on ciabatta. Pretty good. Frozen margarita not bad but needed 15 minutes to thaw enough to drink without a spoon and multiple brain freezes. I'd go with on the rocks next time. Pescatarian daughter had talapia tacos and loved them...vegetarian wife had veggie quesadilla and thought it was great.

They're working the opening day bugs out so I'd give it a week or so before deciding on service or quality. I'm optimistic but first impression was that it might be just a notch up from Margarita's.

[peckedbyducks]

I know this is totally off subject, but I have a question for pondrat if that's ok? I am madly in love with the corn pudding at the Coach Grill in Wayland. I was googling madly and unsucessfully for a similar recipe when I found you in this thread:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/540537
You posted "I'm with you 100% on that ! Liked it so much I had to learn how to re-engineer it to make at home especially for the holidays." I was wondering if, by any mad stretch of the imagination you would be willing to share said recipe? I would love to make it for my family this holiday (my first time hosting). If you are comfortable posting it here I am sure the masses would love love love, but if not, [e-mail]. Pretty please, with corn kernals on top?:

)

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Coach Grill
55 Boston Post Rd, Wayland, MA 01778

[lulupoez]

Well I am going to work there!!!!! =)

[Gordough]

when is it opening? and why did it take a year?

[pondrat]

A friend was up at their Nashua location this weekend and the owner said they were looking at about 3 weeks till the Framingham place opens. We'll see.

[bikerchick33]

I drive by every day to and from work, and the restaurant occasionally has workers standing outside not doing much. I think that the sign is horrible because the address is much bigger than the name of the restaurant. I hope they didn't pay too much money for it. I am excited for their opening because I think that we could use a good Mexican restaurant in the area, but I am concerned about how long it is taking them to open since they got their liquor license over a year ago...

[Matt H]

Interested to try it out if they get off the ground. A part of me was hoping for the La Carreta Cuban restaurant in Miami though, that place is pretty amazing.

[pondrat]

Matt.... I'm with you on a version of the Miami La Carreta....Went there for years (and the Versailles)...even their airport locations are good. Closest thing around here is Oriental de Cuba in Jamaica Plain...and Dave's Fresh Pasta (and Sandwiches) in Davis Square has one of the best Cubano's I've ever had.

What worries me about the new Framingham LaCaretta is that financial woes can translate to service and quality issues if/when they open. Not a good thing to bootstrap a new restaurant launch regardless of their reputation 40 miles away in NH.

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Dave's Fresh Pasta
81 Holland St, Somerville, MA 02144

[StriperGuy]

I always give the edge to Versailles...

That said in the Boston area there are EXCELLENT Dominican places in Lynn. Dominican food is fairly similar to Cuban... Rincon Macorisano and D'Leomar are two that come to mind.

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Rincon Macorisano
350 Washington St, Lynn, MA 01902

[pondrat]

Gee....I'm really surprised that you neglected to include Big Pappi's !!!????

[StriperGuy]

I assume that was a joke.

[pondrat]

Most definitely a joke...I hope the time stamp doesn't indicate you lost sleep over this ! :)

[StriperGuy]

Ha, ha, nah just a chowsomniac in general.

[Gordough]

It's painfully apparent to me that they are having some financial issues with the renovation. Similar work shouldn't take more than 3 months at most. I drive by here quite a bit and one week they are working and then I see nothing going on for weeks at a time.

[PAUL]

Dropped in today. When I suggested they might be open in 2 or 3 weeks the owner did not seem too optimistic. Nice build out inside and out.

[pondrat]

At this rate I sense they might combine the opening with a Cinco de Mayo party.

[trufflehound]

Craigslist is advertising for help at Margarita's in Framingham.

[galleygirl]

Different location. Margarita's is going in where Naked Fish used to be; La Carreta is up the street...